Growing up, I spent many summers at the lakes near Dorset, Minnesota and sometimes even practiced trumpet on the dock overlooking the water. The serene landscape, combined with the sound of the trumpet and the natural sounds on the water, created a fascinating echo across the lake that I explore in this piece. Beginning with literal echoes from the trumpet’s bell faced into the piano’s lid, the opening free-style cadenza explores the echoing sounds across the calm morning waters.  The sounds imitate the soft but brilliant colors of the early morning sun that reflect in the water’s surface. The echoing theme is deepened by the collaborative nature of the trumpet and piano writing, where each player passes the central 0,2,5 trichord motive between each other. This is especially prominent in the middle section of the piece where the piano plays a shimmering texture in the upper register and trumpet plays  in the low register, first with a mute and then again open. I hope with the performance of this piece, that the listener is transported to a still lake enjoying the early morning sun.

This recording is of myself playing the trumpet part with Annie Taylor-Scott on Piano.

Dawn Echoes for Trumpet and Piano

This is a Trio for Clarinet, Violin and Piano. It is a Theme and Variations with three contrasting variations with a theme built on a collection of 7 pitches.

Four Expressions

This was a piece that I wrote for the Phoenix Harmony Project that is meant to honor the people who encourage us to pursue music. For me that was my mother. This piece is my way of reminiscing on the support that my mother gave me during my best and worst performances.  This is a recording of myself with the Arizona State University Wind Ensemble from a reading session.

Song For My Mother

This is a performance of my unaccompanied etude for Saxophone by C.J. Longabough at my composition recital in 2016.

Transcendental Etude

This is the premiere performance "March Through The Northern Pines" for symphonic band. Thanks to the University of Minnesota Symphonic Band and director Jerry Luckhardt for a fantastic performance! See the program notes below:

It is early in the morning; the birds are chirping and the summer breeze blows through the Norway Pines. Off in the distance, a bell tolls followed by a bright blast of a bugle awakening the forest. Activity spurs as the more animals awaken to the far-away calls of the army camp prepping for a long march. A second bugle calls comes, this time much louder than the first, and there is a stir of anxiousness in the forest creatures. Finally, the calls from the distance stop. The forest is in near silence except for a few animals that call out in question as to what is happening. The questions are finally answered as the entire collection of birds screamed about the approach of the army with one last bugle blast!

The fifes and drums announce the soldier's march with glorious purpose, but the army is massive and only the leaders on horseback -- completely silent and proud -- appear first. Next, the soldiers, heavier steps with many souls, which burst out in song to the fifes, fill the ranks. Many of the birds still talk back and forth while the army parades. While the foot soldiers march by, the birds get into a heated argument with the deer down below as to the purpose of army’s move. Finally the artillery lumber behind with horses weighted down by great bronze canons and mortars.

Then there is a call from the lieutenant in front for a full halt! The lieutenant’s horse strides further ahead onto a beach. He looks out over the vast lake ahead of them. Its grandeur and stillness is deafening, as the only thing he can hear is the bugle coming from the back of the infantry rank. Then a loon pops out of the still water and the two make eye contact, and the seconds seem like hours. The loon calls out and dives under the water as the lieutenant is in a trance. He sits upon his horse pondering the lake's existence, what his interaction with the loon meant, and their marching destination. Thoughts fill his head about the battles to come in the South and wondered whether or not he willreturn.

With that, he whistles for his regiment to continue their march. Bustles of confusion spring up through the ranks as the men are questioning the stop and begin to rush back to their places. One last call from the back of the ranks gives the final order to move forward at full march and with the fifes at full blow and mounted buglers playing. As the army continues to march, the animals of the forest sing about how gallant the fight must be, that the men are in such bright spirits. A couple birds chime in as to the reason the army has stopped marching west and is now going south and is answered with silence with no one being quite sure. They hear one final bugle blast as the army marches into the distance.

March Through The Northern Pines - Premiere

This solo piece for piano is a study of Birch tree's colors reflected in still water. I explore the literal juxtaposition of black and white and play between two themes which come together at the end of the piece. This is the premiere performance by Jingchao Zhou

Birch

Slavische Fantasie - for cornet and piano
Carl Höhne

Spencer Brand, trumpet
Joseph Ripka, piano

Slavische Fantasie - Carl Höhne

Premiere Performance at the Phoenix Art Museum by the Herberger Institute String Quartet

Brand SphereLitfromtheTop

Premiere Performance at the Tempe Event Center for the Society of Composers Inc. Reed Quintet Concert.

Performance given by Charlotte Ethington (oboe), Katrina Clements (clarinet), Julia Lougheed (bass clarinet), Chris Sacco (alto saxophone), and Sarah Rice (bassoon)

Two Sketches for Reed Quintet

Winona State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble
Dr. Melanie Brooks, director

Written in honor of Dr. Melanie Brooks' first year as Director of Bands at Winona State University

Premiered on April 28th, 2019 as apart of their "From the Earth" program

On The Banks Of The Mississippi

Dr. Spencer Brand is an active trumpeter, composer, and educator based in Phoenix, AZ. Brand currently teaches Trumpet and Aural Perception at Glendale Community College, AZ as an Adjunct Faculty. Additionally, he directs the Trumpet and Brass Ensembles at Mountain Ridge High School. Spencer is a performer and staff arranger for the Phoenix Brass Collective and serves as the coordinator for the annual PBC Young Artist Competition. Brand is a member of the MusicaNova Orchestra, and is the new Principal Trumpet of the Chandler Symphony for the 2022-23 concert season. In 2018, Brand toured the Czech Republic with the Prague Summer Nights Festival Orchestra, performing in the Estates Theatre and Rudolfinum Hall.

 

Active as a composer, Brand has been commissioned to write music for various performers including the University of Minnesota Symphonic Band, Winona State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Chicago Public Schools and others. His music is often inspired and explores Minnesota nature, and he has presented on nature in Edvard Grieg’s music.

 

Brand earned his DMA from Arizona State University where his research centered on Czech trumpet playing and repertoire. Brand’s investigation of Czech musical style led to interviews and consultation with famous Czech trumpet players for his doctoral project, including the creation of a catalogue of over 200 Czech solo works for trumpet. Brand received his Master of Music in Trumpet Performance and Composition at Arizona State and holds a BMus in Trumpet Performance with a Management Minor from the University of Minnesota. Brand is an active member of the International Trumpet Guild and the Society of Composers, Inc. His teachers include David Hickman, David Baldwin, Robert Dorer, Ladislav Kozderka, and Albert Moore.

Spencer Brand

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